Broken Inside
by Shadanew1
Summary: Oneshot. Follows the path of Ruby, older sister of Scourge and how she has become tramatized by here brother.    Spoiler Warning for 'The Rise Of Scourge' Manga Book.


I remember it like it was yesterday...

_"The housefolk cub wants US. Not YOU." _I had gloated, running up to my pipsqueak of a brother. A sly grin on my face. _"And you know what happens to un-wanted kittens?"_

My brother, tinier than medium sized food container, was crouching under the table. Watching as the housefolk cub stroked me and hugged me. His eyes were icy blue, much lighter than mine and Socks' and bright with curiousity.

He was also annoying, idiotic, and absoluetly no fun to play with. Perhaps that is why I said those fateful words. The words that changed it all. I wait for the memory to play out in my head.

_"They get thrown in the river!" _I had yelled, glaring in the scariest way possible. At that time I thought it was harmless, the tiny furball would get over it fine.

But after I said those words, he had run away in terror. I watched him go, sticking my tounge out in a childish way. After that I was scooped up by the older twoleg, who continued to stroke me.

But the next day, he hadn't come back. Mama was a wreck, she suspected us from the start but I didn't care and neither did Socks. That day was the last time I ever saw Mama, the twolegs took us both and we moved far away. Ithey had a pretty den, it was really big and up on a hill. We could see everything from up there. It was heaven. Those were the best years of my life..

Too bad it didn't last.

I think my life started to go downhill when Socks and I decided to take a stroll in the garden one day, we hopped up on the fence like we always did and hopped down into the other yard.

Another cat was there, her name was Wanda. A young brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes. We had become friends and I came to visit her alot.

But instead of being my hyper friend she seemed serious, her face distraught. _"What's wrong?" _Socks asked, tilting his head to one side.

Wanda looked at us, giving us a look. _"You haven't heard the news?"_

We both shook our heads._ "No, what is it Wanda?" _I asked, suddenly curious.

_"Something big's happening at twolegplace, apperently theres a rumor floating around that theres a new cat in charge."_

I was moderatley surprised. I had heard about Twoleg place before, the cats there were violent and ruthless. They would do anything for a bite to eat. And tons of cats had tried the same thing before but had failed.

_"Well who is it?" _I ask.

Wanda looked away. _"It's just a rumor. Nobody knows yet. But one of my friends live in twolegplace, I could ask really quick."_

_"Could you?"_

_"Of course!" _Wanda replied and hopped up on the fence. _"Be back before ya know it!" _She exclaimed and hopped down and ran off towards the twoleg place.

Socks and I had waited on that fence till' sunset. At one point I went around to the next house to spread the rumor, but other than that i stuck to the fence like glue. Socks did too, staying by my side, just as curious as I was.

Then I could see her, she looked exauhsted and her face was stricken with panic. she hoped onto that fence with such force I remeber almost falling off completely.

_"Whoah! What happened?" _Socks asked, just as startled as I was.

_"I...They..." _Wanda was comepletely out of breath, she took a deep breath to calm herself. _"They chased me out!"_

_"What? Who chased you out!" _ I asked, surprised.

_"Those cats! B-Bloodclan!" _

I tilted my head, confused. _"Bloodclan? Who are they? Tell us everything!"_

Wanda took another breath._ "Well I was running in twoleg place and I found my friend with her brother in one of the alleys. She told me that the leader was a tiny black cat with one white paw, his name is Scourge apperenly. She said he chase off a dog without even breaking a sweat! A dog! And then while I was heading back they jumped me!"_

Socks eyes gleamed, seeming more interested. I could've practically read his thoughts that day. _"Who jumped you?" _He asked.

_"Well, I hadn't eaten all day and I saw some food stashed away in the corner. I didn't think twice, I ate a bit and then these three cats jumped me out of nowhere!" _She exclaimed, her voice getting more high and shrill.

I cocked an eyebrow. _"Calm down ok...It's alright, it's over. Now tell me what happened next."_

_"One of them had super long claws, he pinned me down and yelled 'You think you can just come here and take food without my say-so?" _And then he got in my face and whispered. _"Get over there and bring me something to eat, maybe then i'll decide what to do with you..." _Wanda shook her head as if trying to block out the memory. _"It was terrible! I thought I was going to die I was so scared! But then..."_

_"Then what?" _I felt like a kit again, listening to stories like this.

_"Then suddenly a cat came to my rescue, he was very very small. Kit size. His collar had a dog tooth in it and he was a black cat with a white paw..."_

Then I cut in. _"Scourge? Was it him?" _I asked.

Wanda nodded. _"Seemed like it. Anyway, the three cats ganged up at him, making fun of his size, laughing and then he went berserk! He slashed a cats throat clean open! He killed a cat! Just like that! After that I ran away as fast as I could and now here I am..."_

Socks' eyes grew wide. _"He killed a cat with a single swipe! Wow!"_

I didn't remark, I thought about what she had said. Something about that cat, Scourge, seemed so familer. But i couldn't put my finger on it.

"_I need a breather...Talk to you later ok?" _Wanda said, hopping down the fence.

_"Bye Wanda!" _I replied, waving my tail.

As soon as she had left, I turned down the fence back to my yard. Went into the den and sat in the bed, stricken with thought.

Socks follwed behind me. _"Whatca thinkin' bout Ruby?" _He asked me, sitting beside me.

_"That cat she described, Scourge...He seems familer."_

Right as I said that, it had hit me. I turned to my brother. _"What if it's Tiny!" _I exclaimed.

Socks gave a me a dull look. _"No way! He's so small, wouldn't have survived a day in the forest. Or wherever he ran off to. Use your common sense sometimes, don't jump to conclusions. Does Tiny really have the heart to kill a cat with one swipe? To chase a dog away without breaking a sweat?"_

I shook my head.

_"Then it's not him." _He said and curled up. _"Now it's my nap time, so if you'll excuse me~"_

I remember that that was the start if my downfall, a few months later our housefolk ran away and left us behind. With no one to feed us we were forced to become loners, but how could we? We didn't know how to hunt, find shealter and water. It was a hopeless case, by the time I got the idea to do what I did we were near starving.

It was a cloudy day, Socks and I were sleeping out in the open. Because there was nowhere else to go, I wake up groggy and gaze at the twoleg then the idea hits me.

_"Maybe I was right before, what if Tiny is Scourge! What if was right all this time!"_

It was quite a stupid thought, but I was desperate and hungry. I woke up Socks and explained everything to him. Hunger clouded his judgement and we headed out into Twolegplace.

We walked on the grey paths, tired and weak. I was starting to lose hope unill we were approached by two cats. One was a big black and white tom and the other was a grey old she cat. They stopped us in are tracks and the tom immediatley unsheathed his claws.

_"Who are you? Identify yourself! We don't like strangers here!"_ The tom growled, glareing at us and showing off his razor sharp claws.

I was about to speak, but then Socks cut me off. _"We're here to see Scourge, please, just take us to him."_

The tom looked at the she-cat as if searching for her opinion.

_All brawn and no brains._ I thought.

The she-cat answer ina raspy voice. _"What is your reason for seeing him?" _She asked.

This time I cut Socks off. _"We're his littermates! Please!"_

Both cats seemed to be taken aback, they looked at each other in disbelief. _"Scourge never spoke of litter-mates." _The tom commented.

_"He never talked about us." _I continued_. "Please, let us see him"_

They let us hang for a moment and then finally the she-cat flicks her tail. _"Follow us." _She rasps and leads off into the maze of alleyways. We both follow slowly behind.

It's a long maze, I was so hungry I didn't even focus until the tom spoke again._ "I will notify Scourge." _He announced and walked off into the darkest alley in the corner.

Moments pass and then the tom gives us the ok to walk in.

My eyes almost leap out of thier sockets. Tiny figure, icy blue eyes, purple collar and one white paw. I was right all along! My long lost brother! Tiny!

_"So it's true!" _I exclaim in disbelief._ "Tiny-" _I then quickly remember, thats not his name anymore. _"-I mean Scourge! Our housefolk moved away and abandoned us!"_

_"We don't know how to get our own food...Will you help us? Please?" _Socks asks, in a trembling voice.

_Of course he will_. I add silently, _this is Tiny were talking ab-_

Then I realize, something about Tiny is very, very wrong.

His mouth was set in a permenant scowl, his collar is studded with dogs AND cats teeth, and his eyes... instead of being a bright cheerful blue where now hard and cold. With no trace of forgiveness.

_"Why should I?"_ He answers, in that same shrill high voice. His voice has never changed over all these years...same with his size really.

He glares at us. _"My own cats barely have enough to eat. It's not my fault if you're to stupid and weak to feed yourselves"_

_What! Is he...Is he toying with us!_

_"But Scourge please! We're your littermates!"_ I wail, eyes pleading. _"Doesn't blood mean anything to you!"_

_"Oh yes, blood is everything, but the only blood i'm intrested in flows from my enemies! Look around you!"_ Tiny begins, eyes cold and full of hatred for us.

_"These cats are bathed in blood! It soaks thier fur and laps at thier paws, this is why we survive..."_

Tiny seemed to put his paw down, and with a growl he yelled._ "We are Bloodclan!"_

_"But Scourge please!" _Socks wails.

Tiny shakes his head and moves aside, revealing some twoleg food and then flicks his tail. Giving us the signal to eat.

Socks and I pounce on it and eat till' are hearts content and savior each bite. But then as soon as we're done that black a white tom and the gray she-cat shove us out.

_"Get these two out of my sight." _Scourge proclaims. _"They are not welcome in Bloodclan territory."_

I look back at my brother and my heart sinks, I feel like i just died inside, broken, and can never be repaired. _It's all my fault...I'm the one who made him run away it's all my fault! _

Tiny's eyes meet mine, but there not the same huge, curious, loveable eyes they were before. Now they're nothing but ice. And it's all my fault.

The two cats lead us to the edge of the territory, a huge thunderpath streeched wide was in front of us.

_"Run." _The tom proclaimed, staring us down. _"Run right now or else I'll rip your bones out limb from limb and put your claws on my collar!"_

I darted, Socks following on my heels. Thankfully we both made it to the other side safely. When we looked back there was no one.

Now we were alone.

We were loners, we stayed loners for a long time. Taking whatever we could from trash-cans or stuff on the ground. We walked and walk and walked, never stopping, just walking. That was, untill, we both were found and taken in by a little twoleg and it's family.

But shortly after, Socks and I were seperated. I don't know why but another little twoleg took him away and I havent seen him since.

Everyday I sit on the porch and I listen to the cats who live in the next den.

"Who's house is that over there?"

"That's Ruby's, but don't go over there, she's a freak! Every night she gets up on that fence and wails like a pitiful kitten. always the same thing. 'It's my fault!'"

_Because it is..._ I would add, looking down at the horizin. You can't even see Twoleg place now, only a lake and the moutains next to it. _It's all my fault, if I hadn't said that all that stuff to him, if I hadn't treated him like foxdung, if I hadn't made him run away...Scourge would have never exisited! He would be here, with me! And...and...everything would be better. My brother is Scourge, the most terrifying cat in history and it all could have avoided if I just wasn't so stupid!_

I'm broken inside, and it's too late for me.

I can never be prepared.

My brother is Scourge...And I have lost.


End file.
